Released as a single download-only track on the 17th of December 2007, Christmas is Awesome was a semi-serious stab at the coveted Christmas number one spot. Realising that there was a distinct gap between their September and January tours, the band decided that something should happen in the meantime to keep their profile up. It was suggested that they try and record the heaviest Christmas single ever, and make sure that it was about how brilliant Christmas is, instead of the usual gripes about 'having to be nice' and 'commercialism' that are often heard.

In order to get it out to radio and TV stations in time for the Christmas week release, the band elected to record new, Christmassy lyrics over the original vocal takes on a b-side called 'Rockandfuckingroll' they had recorded at the Biggg Tree sessions. As one can imagine, the original lyrics were no great loss as the song is hardly a classic. Sleigh bells were added, along with a choir of children singing the chorus, who also appeared in the video that was hastily thrown together at drummer Guy's house by the Leftside.

The video was a huge initial success, with Youtube views topping 100,000 on the first day, and it was hoped the radio stations would pick up on the effort to provide the UK with a different sounding Number One. Sadly this was not to be, although the music press, notably Kerrang, were very supportive of the single.

In the end, disaster struck as an error in the VPL registration of the track led it to be disqualified from entry into the UK charts, and we never got that rocking number one.

The facts:

The original version of the track, 'Rockandfuckingroll', was actually played live as part of the band's Hyde Park Calling set, but nobody noticed.

Songwriter Jim wanted to call his song 'Black Christmas', a terrible pun on 'White Christmas', but it was suggested that this might make people think that the band were racists, and was dropped. An alternative chorus with the words 'Electric Christmas', another favoured song title, was recorded, but again was vetoed in favour of the now familiar 'Christmas Is Awesome'.

The track received its live debut during the launch gig for SCUZZ TV's new website, and was broadcast live over the internet. It was played only once more, at the band's annual Christmas show in Aldershot, as they had decided only to play it at Christmas.

The children singing on the record and in the video are the children of band manager Barney Jeavons, who is also seen accompanying them in the video, and Ian Oakley of the Leftside, who as well as filming the video appeared as 'Dad' alongside guy's real mum as 'Mum'.

After seeing his drum tutorial DVD used in the video, Thomas Lang emailed the band to lend his support and to say how flattered he was at being included. They are still waiting for Doctor Who to get in touch.

The karaoke-style lyrics at the bottom of the screen were entirely the idea of occasional camera assistant Scott, who edited the video all on his own as a favour. He was also responsible for the 'making of' documentaries that accompanied the band's previous two videos, and make a brief appearance in the video for DLNA as 'Jimmy'.

The hilarious festive jumpers, provided by Jon's girlfriend Abi Turner, were also worn at the Christmas show later that year, apart from Guy's one, as he forgot to bring it.

Even though the single was download-only, fifty physical CDs were pressed for promotional purposes, one of which can be seen here